Posts by Sophie Stewart
How to Secure Canada’s FIRST King Charles III Coins
The Royal Canadian Mint have just unveiled their official effigy of His Majesty King Charles III with a brand-new coin set.
Read on to find out what makes this set so sought-after, and how you can secure one…
As the first set to feature the Canadian effigy of King Charles III, demand has already been extremely be high.
In fact, Canada’s First King Charles III 50 Cent Rolls sold-out a whopping edition limit of 25,000 in JUST 4 hours.
These uncirculated sets include the sought-after Canadian coins in uncirculated quality, ensuring they are free of any marks or blemishes. All six denominations are housed in this exclusive set; from the 25 Cents to the 2 Dollars and even the sought-after 50-cent piece.
Your six coins come sealed and packaged in a specially designed folder, marking the first Uncirculated Set of His Majesty’s reign with a distinctive green-and-gold colour scheme.
But, considering these coins are travelling over 3,000 miles to the UK, only 400 are available for Westminster Collectors.
To secure the first Canadian Uncirculated Coin set of King Charles III, please click here >>
Celebrating King Charles III’s 75th Birthday with The Royal Mint
In January 2023, The Royal Mint unveiled the King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 coin as part of the Annual Sets. It was extremely popular and sold out of all its limited-edition specifications.
Since then, collectors have waited for this coin to be individually released ahead of the celebrations. And today, The Royal Mint have issued this coin in a range of specifications just days before His Majesty’s birthday.
Read on to find out why this coin has been so highly anticipated, the celebrations surrounding the King’s special day, and how you can secure the new coin in an exclusive presentation…
His Majesty’s 75th Birthday: 14th November 2023
On the 14th of November 2023, His Majesty King Charles III will celebrate his 75th birthday.
After a year of remarkable feats – acceding the throne, celebrating his Coronation – King Charles III’s 75th birthday is another significant milestone.
In fact, it is the first time in over 200 years that a reigning British King has celebrated his 75th birthday, so celebrations are planned across the UK to match the grandeur of the occasion.
The Prince’s Foundation, King Charles III’s educational charity established in 1986, is hosting celebratory events at Highgrove Gardens and Dumfries House for organisations and individuals also celebrating their 75th birthday in 2023.
People born in 1948 – the same year as the King – have the chance to be nominated and invited to the event, where they will enjoy live music, afternoon tea and dancing.
The UK 2023 King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 Coin Range
In a gesture to honour this remarkable milestone, The Royal Mint have released a stunning coin range to mark the 75th birthday of King Charles III.
Not only do you have the chance to secure the new coin in Brilliant Uncirculated, Silver Proof, or Silver Piedfort quality, you can also be one of the few collectors to own something even more limited…
Here at The Westminster Collection, we have worked hard to create extra special postmarked commemoratives to honour this celebration.
But what is a postmarked product?
In this case, it means the new £5 coin has been paired alongside a Royal Mail stamp and official one-day-only postmark, capturing this moment in time.
Whether it’s the BU £5 housed in a coin & stamp cover, a limited DateStamp™ presentation, or even postmarked alongside nine-1948 dated coins, there is something for everyone.
But edition limits are smaller than that of the Silver and Piedfort specifications, so demand is expected to be high.
In fact, each one has been postmarked by Royal Mail on the official date of His Majesty’s birthday: 14th November 2023, meaning no more can ever be made.
Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate.
The UK’s NEW Coinage
The coins that we use every day are changing.
From the 1p to the £2, eight new coins will soon be entering our pockets and our piggy banks.
So, as we welcome the new era of King Charles III, both the ‘heads’ and ‘tails’ of our circulating coins will have brand new designs.
Read on to unveil The Royal Mint’s brand-new designs, learn about the history of Definitive coins and why this is the biggest change for British coins in 15 years…
The Coins of a New ‘Carolean’ Era
The coins, each designed by The Royal Mint, have been authorised by HM treasury and approved by King Charles III himself.
Over the past seven decades, our circulating coinage has undergone many changes, showcasing five different portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse, and two distinct reverse designs.
And even though we have seen His Majesty’s effigy on the obverse of several commemorative issues, this will be the first time we’ll see his portrait on the coins we find in our everyday change.
All reverse designs share a unique feature, setting each denomination against a stylised logo with 3 interlocking ‘Cs’, representing King Charles III.
Before they gradually enter circulation, The Royal Mint have introduced the first strike of these coins in commemorative quality – with a special Privy Mark…
Inspired by Our Natural World
What’s more, each coin embodies King Charles III’s passion for nature & sustainability, presenting various symbols of Britain’s vast wildlife on the reverse designs. Having been a Patron of The Wildlife Trust since 1977, Charles’ affiliation for the natural world was a key inspiration for the designs of the UK’s new coinage.
The new £2 coin design represents the union of the United Kingdom with intermingling flowers from the four nations of the UK: the Rose, the Thistle, the Daffodil, and the Shamrock.
For the £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 2p, and 1p, The Royal Mint have thoughtfully translated various wildlife creatures into innovative reverse designs.
For example, the £1 coin presents a pair of Bees, the 50p showcases a Salmon in water, the 20p a Puffin, the 10p a Scottish Capercaillie, 2p a Red Squirrel, and the 1p a sleeping Dormouse.
Finally, the 5p coin features a stunning combination of oak leaves and acorns – a perfect tribute to our natural world and England’s national tree.
The History of ‘Definitive’ Coinage
The eight different coin denominations which make up our everyday change (1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2) began circulating in 1971. This followed Britain’s shift towards Decimalisation, a plan which had been in the making for over 10 years.
Multiple artists participated in a private design competition, and among them was Christopher Ironside, the chosen designer of the decimal coins. Ironside’s designs remained on the reverse of the definitive coins for 40 years, until Matt Dent proposed the idea of spreading the Shield of the Royal Arms over the definitive coins in 2005.
“This piecing together of the elements of the Royal Arms to form one design had a satisfying symbolism – that of unity, four countries of Britain under a single monarch.” – Matt Dent
A Special Touch for Collectors…
The best part is, you can now secure the commemorative editions of the UK’s new coinage.
And in addition to new designs on both faces, these coins also feature a distinctive ‘Privy Mark’ on the obverse, a unique and sought-after element.
Designed to distinguish these coins from the ones you’ll eventually find in circulation, the first commemorative strikes display a delicate crown positioned alongside the effigy of His Majesty.
From the official Brilliant Uncirculated pack, to the prestigious Proof Set, or the strictly limited DateStampTM, you can click here to view the range with prices starting from £33 (+p&p) and secure yours before it’s too late >